asked the Minister of Works what decisions have been arrived at regarding the allocation of materials, particularly sheet cladding materials, for the building of temporary, two-stage and permanent prefabricated houses; and whether any arrangements are being made to import necessary supplies of sheet materials from overseas.

Subject to our needs for operational and other urgent work, the necessary materials are being allocated on high priority for the building programme. Sheeting for cladding is not any more scarce than other building materials needed for the production of prefabricated houses.

asked the Minister of Health what are the conditions proposed to be attached to the grant of subsidies for permanent post-war houses; and what measure of choice will the local authorities enjoy in the selection of types of houses.

The terms and conditions of subsidy in respect of permanent houses are under discussion with local authority associations. As indicated in the Housing Manual, it will be for the local authorities to select the types and sizes of houses to be provided in the right proportion in relation to the prevailing types of existing dwellings and the various sizes of household requiring accommodation.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has considered the complaints of 15 mothers with young children, now resident in the Stroud area, who are unable to get regular supplies of fresh milk; and what action he has taken.

I understand that the children in question, namely, those resident in Stroud itself, are receiving the full supplies of milk to which they are entitled, but that the total weekly supply is delivered in six days of the week instead of seven. I am having inquiries made of the local Dairymen's War-time Association to see whether arrangements can be made to restore a daily delivery service.

asked the Minister of Food in how many cases during the past five years has his Ministry refused a licence to restore and restart country mills producing stone-ground flour; and whether it is still the policy of the Ministry to discourage the activity of these country mills.

During the past five years 15 applications have been received to start or re-start country mills producing stone-ground flour. Two of these applications were withdrawn and four of them were granted. Nine were refused because of the unsuitability of the premises or plant for the production of flour for human consumption. The answer to the last part of the Question is that it is not and has never been the Ministry's policy to discourage country mills capable of producing flour fit for human consumption. All applications have been and will continue to be considered solely on their merits.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a Post-War Employment Association has been formed in the Postal and Telegraph Censorship Department and that official facilities have been given within that office for the circulation of literature and the collection of registration fees; and whether this activity is in accordance with the policy of his Department in regard to the registration and re-allocation after the end of the war in Europe of persons who become redundant in Government Departments.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Information that this Association has been accorded facilities outside business hours similar to those normally given to benevolent, recreational or educational activities organised by the staff. The grant of these facilities, however, in no way implies his official recognition of the Association's activities. My proposals in Cmd. 6568 for the re-allocation of workers are intended to apply to persons released from Government Departments in the same way as to other persons.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the estimated outlay of about one million sterling on the new Appointments Scheme includes the cost of any newspaper advertising as suggested in Section 89 of the Departmental Committee Report on Higher Appointments.

I understand that the estimate of the annual cost of the Appointments Department, based on the recommendations of Lord Hankey's Committee on Higher Appointments, did not include the cost of newspaper advertisement for the purposes of publicity.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the activities of the present Career Research Association now includes, or will include, under the new Appointments Scheme, the placing of men in the professions such as medicine, journalism, literature, advertising, the Church and the Law.

The placing of persons in employment is not a function of the Careers Research Section of the Appointments Departments. Its main activities relate to the provision of information on the training required for, and the prospects of employment in the professions.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, as a guidance on appointments work in general, he can state the number of applicants on the existing registers who have been placed and the number who have not so been; and whether the former figure includes more than one placing of the same men or women.

I am not sure what information my hon. Friend is seeking, but the number of placings effected by the Appointments Department during 1944 was 26,556, while the number of persons without employment and registered for work on 1st January, 1945, was 5,965. The number of places of the same men or women in the above total is not available, but it is relatively small.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, inasmuch as many men and most officers of the Meteorological Branch of the R.A.F. were serving in a civilian capacity, performing the same duties and subject to frequent postings either within the British Isles or abroad before their mobilisation in 1943, it is intended that in the scheme for reallocation of man-power their civilian service shall be added to their mobilisation service in determining their release categories.

This matter is at present under consideration, and I will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will consider publishing the Report of the Combined Raw Materials Board on the situation in British coalmining to enable the British public to form a comprehensive view on this branch of production in connection with the facts and suggestions as stated in the Report by Mr. Foot, chairman of the Mining Association, which is due to be published on 23rd January.

I have not yet had an opportunity of seeing Mr. Foot's Report, but in any case I can hold out no hope of a reversal by the Government of its decision that the confidential Report of the American Coal Mission should not be published.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that street lamps are lit in London and in provincial towns during the whole of the morning thus consuming electricity and gas, while private consumers are exhorted to save gas and electricity in their homes; and can he estimate the consumption of coal to produce light in the streets during daylight.

I am aware that in certain areas street lamps must remain lit throughout the day, as, owing to shortage of labour and materials, there is no alternative between continuous lighting and no lighting. I regret that there are no statistics available of the number of street lamps which have to be left burning during daylight hours, and I cannot therefore estimate the amount of fuel consumed by these lamps.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that he is adhering to the decision announced in 1944, that women hairdressers born in the years 1924 and 1925 who have been identified as holding pivotal positions in accordance with the previous definition, should not be withdrawn from their present employment; and whether he will look further into the case of A. M. Batchelor who had been working at High Street, Shipston-on-Stour.

I am having further inquiries made into the case to which my hon. Friend refers, and will communicate with him as soon as possible.